John Marston and the Darkstalkers
by BeastWithinProductions
Summary: Set during Undead Nightmare. John Marston sets out to find the source of the zombies but along the way he encounters West Dickens under attack by a strange creature neither of them have ever seen. John goes along with West and helps defend him from attackers from the darkness.


**John Marston and the Dark Stalkers **

Many strange tales have been told of those long lost days of the wild west of Cowboys, Indians, Thieves, Gunslingers, and none are more famous than John Marston.

During his travels he encountered many strange and unusual people, especially when the dead began rising.

The dead rose from the grave and began feeding on the living, but zombies were not the only kinds of creatures that prowled the west at that time, there were other monsters afoot.

At that moment John rode atop his horse, trying to find the source of this undead nightmare. Looking around he noticed the night was strange. It was still and nothing stirred, no creature and the wind was not blowing.

The darkness was all around him, say for the moonlight that shown down on little patches of the desert. John looked around and thought he could see something. He jerked up on the reins of his horse stopping it so he could get a better look.

The horse stomped its feet into the ground and John quickly looked around. Silence and nothingness was all his eyes could see.

But then his horse quickly jerked up and began neighing wildly. John quickly took hold of the reins controlling the horse, then he leaned forward and began patting the horse on its neck calming it further.

But then suddenly something moved in the brush. John looked over in time only to see a large dark figure run off into the darkness. John continued to look off in the direction the creature went only able to see the dust it had kicked up.

John then kicked on his horse over to the spot the creature was once at. Moving aside the bushes he came upon a large paw-print. A first sight one would have guessed it to be a wolf, but an expert tracker and hunter like John knew otherwise.

While at first he too thought it was a wolf at a second glance he knew otherwise. It was the paw of an animal but whatever it was it was twice the size of any man. John dismounted his horse and put his boot down next to the track, the paw just as he thought was much larger than his foot.

John looked around for further evidence but then his attention was called to something else.

In the distance he could hear the faint cries of 'help'. In a flash John was back up on his horse and rode off in the direction of the calls.

John rode on and within moments he came upon an attack. There was a wagon with four horses, a chubby older man at the reins and following along them was what John thought was a large wolf.

But his suspicions were confirmed wrong for surprisingly the wolf stood up on its hind legs and followed after the wagon running even faster than before.

The old man gave a cry as he looked back and saw the were-wolf still there. Just then the were-wolf jumped up and planted its claws on the side of the wagon.

The old man looked back and gave another shriek before he clapped down hard on the reins. But the were-wolf was not shaken off and began making its way over to the driver.

But luck was on the wagon's side, for at this moment John rode alongside the wagon with his pistol drawn. John rode alongside the wagon and next to the wolf.

The were-wolf's ears poked up and it turned its head and its striking yellow eyes fell upon John. John raised his arm and aimed. Then he fired.

The bullet shot the were-wolf hitting him in the shoulder. It opened its mouth wide and roared at John. Then John shot two more times.

The first bullet missed hitting the wagon, but the second hit the were-wolf in the chest. With that third bullet the were-wolf dropped from the wagon and onto the ground.

It fell onto four legs and began running alongside John's horse. John turned and fired two more times but the wolf evaded his bullets. Then the wolf jumped up and pounced on the back of John's horse, sinking its claws into its back.

The horse gave a cry as the were-wolf threw both horse and rider to the ground. John fell off lying next to his horse which struggled on the ground. He looked over his wounded steed and saw the were-wolf rise to its full height, standing in the silhouette of the moonlight all he could clearly see were its piercing yellow eyes.

John quickly ducked back behind his horse as the were-wolf came at him.

The were-wolf ran up and leaned over the horse to get to John. But once it did John sat up holding his double barrel shotgun. He sat up and the barrel lay right on the were-wolf's chest. John fired once and the were-wolf was immediately sent flying back.

John stood up as the were-wolf squirmed over the ground holding its chest. John aimed down his sights but as if it wasn't wounded at all the were-wolf turned and ran off into the darkness.

John stood in the aftermath lowering his shotgun to his side. His attention was called to the clip-clop of horse hooves behind him. He turned around to see the wagon that had been attacking coming up next to him, with a familiar face on the reins.

"Mister Marston." Greeted the driver with a cheeky smile." Good to see you again."

"Mister West Dickens." Said John looking up at the driver." To what do I owe the pleasure."

"It's my pleasure dear boy." Said West dickens." You saved me from that um." He paused as he pointed in the direction the were-wolf had taken off." That um, disgusting beast."

"Perhaps all he wanted was some of your miracle elixir." Said John.

West Dickens gave a horse chuckle and replied "I would think not." Then he waited several more moments before he spoke again." Well dear boy it would seem you've save me so if you don't mind I'll be on my way." Then he made a move for the reins.

"Now you hold on Mister West Dickens." Said John with emphasis on the name." I believe you owe me." West Dickens turned to John and looked at him sheepishly." And as it seems I have been dismounted for the time being." John gave a look over at his horse dead in the dirt.

"Well I um, I suppose I do." Said West Dickens." Hope in dear boy." With that John climbed up and very assertively moved West Dickens aside, taking the reins from him." You um." Said West turning to him." You don't suppose we'll encounter any more of those creatures do you?"

"Maybe." Said John looking forward." Maybe not." Then he gave a great smack of the reins and the horses rode off.

High above them in the sky a large flock of bats flew overhead.

The two rode on into the night, the road was long and bumpy. West Dickens would become startled by even the littlest sounds. To comfort him John would fire his pistol into the air potentially scaring off any attackers.

There ride went on like that for some time but eventually something did happen. Eventually the night became still once more, like before John had seen the were-wolf. West Dickens of course minded it but John had the feeling something was coming.

"John." Said West Dickens startled." W-What is that?" He pointed up at the sky and John followed his finger. Looking up he was what looked like a big black cloud high up in the sky, only it was coming towards them fast. As it got closer the duo could make out hundreds of little red eyes flying at them.

Then the bats came down and swarmed right threw them. West Dickens sat back and cowered down, shielding his face. John clapped down on the reins forcing the horses to go forward. Many bats flew straight into the wagon and fell to the ground; other flew under the horses legs only to be stomped. When the bats flew past him John would swat them away.

But then everything went horribly wrong, the horses suddenly began to stumbled over themselves and John lost control of the reins. Then horses turned and tripped to the ground and the wagon flew overhead, West Dickens screaming the whole way John giving one scream when they went airborne.

It was several moments before John stirred again. When the wagon went airborne he was sent flying and onto the cold dirt. He rose slowly to one knee holding his head, and then to his feet.

Although he was a bit stunned by the crash he was perfectly fine overall but as he began to look around he noticed something, he couldn't see West Dickens. John began to look around and scanning the ground, all he was able to find was West Dickens' top hat laying on the ground close by. John picked it up and held it in his hands. Then he quickly turned over to the wagon, the sudden realization hit him that West must be trapped under it.

John ran over and laid his hands upon the side pushing as hard as he could and with all his might to turn it over. But he had no luck. He grew angry and frustrated as he tried and tried to push the wagon, but then his attention was called to something strange. He thought he heard a chuckle behind him, a soft chuckle of a woman.

John rose up to his full height and turned around and low and behold there was a woman there. She had long green hair, two bat wings, and a strange exposing outfit.

She stood there smiling at him while John looked at her with a stone cold face.

"Hey there." She said. John made no reply." What's the matter?" she asked." Cat got your tongue?" Still no reply. Now she began walking forward, when she did that John reached down for his pistol." You're not going to shoot poor me are you?" she asked still smiling.

"Do not tempt me you foul creature of the night." Said John.

"So you do talk." She said. John kept his cold appearance on and his hand by his gun. She kept advancing ever so casually at him, every step put John on edge even more.

Morrigan walked up and came close. John felt the urge to draw his gun but at the same time he felt the urge not to.

Then Morrigan stood right before him, and her hand slid onto his moving it away from his gun. Then Morrigan stood real close and nuzzled herself close to John. John glanced down from her and then to the wagon where he thought West Dickens lay.

"Do not worry about your friend." Said Morrigan's voice. Then she reached up and pulled his face so he would face her." Come stay with me."

Slowly and without her noticing John slid his hand behind his back.

"My wife would not appreciate that." He said. Morrigan's expression sank in an instant. Then John sprung open his hand wielding his bowie knife.

He had cut Morrigan across the stomach. She looked at him with a fiery look and hissed.

Then John lunged forward swinging his knife once more. This time however Morrigan dodged under his arm and scratches him along his side. Luckily for John however she just got a hold of his cloths.

"I don't normally fight women." Said John. Then he turned around and punched her in the face and then a second time. Morrigan stumbled back against the wagon. Then John ran up and swung again.

But this time Morrigan ducked down causing John to drive his fist into the wagon. Then Morrigan stood up and grabbed John by his shoulder and chest. Then with a great amount of stress that surprised John she lifted him up and sent him flying through the air.

John flew the air and landed on the ground hard. He sat up with a groan and noticed Morrigan to be floating in the air.

Then she dived down at him. John jumped up to his feet, but when he did Morrigan swooped down and lifted him off the ground. John struggled in her grip.

But then John swung up his knee and hit her in the stomach. Morrigan lost some of her strength there, with the opportunity rising John lifted up his leg and kicked Morrigan in the stomach also freeing himself.

He wasn't too far from the ground so the fall wasn't that bad, he was up on his feet in seconds. But then when he looked back up Morrigan swooped down again and kicked him to the ground.

John rose up again, only this time different when he felt around his head he realized his hat was gone. He didn't have to look far for it, for hovering only a few feet away from him was Morrigan wearing his hat with a smile on her face.

John quickly rose to his feet ready to fight once more, but when he did Morrigan swooped down once more and hit him, sending him flying into the wagon.

"I must say." She said as John leaned against the wagon his cloths torn up and dirtied and bleeding from his mouth." I thought his would be more of a challenge." John stood there apparently stunned for a few moments." Oh well." She said. Then she flew closer towards him. But when she was right before him John pulled out his revolver and held it before her face.

Then John began firing his pistol off. Within seconds Morrigan vanished, his hat falling to the ground. John looked around but could not find her. John bent over and picked up his hat returning it back to his head, then he continued to look for the woman with pistol in hand.

But then John's attention was called to the sound of coughing. He turned around and looked under the wagon to see West Dickens poking his head out from under the wagon.

"John." He coughed." Help me." He continued to cough as John reached in and grabbed him. Then he pulled him out from under the wagon and helped him to his feet." Oh thank you dear boy." Panted West as he patted himself down." You saved me again."

"Yea." Said John." I suppose I did." Now West looked John over and saw his cloths all dirty.

"Oh my." He said." Are you hurt? What happened? "

"It's nothing." Replied John.

"Why it looks like you you've been in a fight."

"I said it's nothing." Said John aggressively.

"Alright alright, calm down dear boy." Said West as he continued to pat himself down. Then he turned and faced his tipped-over wagon." Well now what do we do?"

John walked over and grabbed two of the horses." Now Mister West Dickens." He said handing the old man one of the reins." We ride." Then John mounted his horse and West Dickens did the same.

Then the two rode off into the night. While they rode on John kept his eyes on the sky, and he thought he could catch the faint figure of a flying woman up there.

**The End**


End file.
